Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-23
THOSE TERRIBLE TRAMPS.

ing duty of support
 THOSE TERRIBLE TRAMPS.
 Our article the other day on the Tramp question has placed us on the horns or dilemma. We are found fault with on one point forr"a sentimental defence of desperadoes;" and on another, commended for having espoused the cause of the poor man, with the suggested complaint that we did not go far enough in our sympa- thies. There's no accounting for tastes; and we suppose in journalistic matters, there is no patent process by which every opinion can be grati6ed. We are prepared for these experiences of what "the horns of delemma" mean. "Strike high, strike low, there is no pleasing you" " as the drum-major with his cato nine tails replied to the piteons cries of the poor soldier under punishment.
 We have received some letters complain ing that we had gone too far and had not gone far enough on the Tramp question. One writer, ''W. D." dating from Nauga- tuck, says:
 IS districts or suburban retreats. If you had ex- perienced the annoyances of the daily visitations of these lazy vagabonds; their raids on farmsteads when the men folk are away from home, and their insolent demands for food without work; with the superadded crime of stealing when they have opportunity, you would not be so effusive in your advocacy.
 Another correspondent, who signs him self "A Compassion on Tramp" says:
 It is well for the poor man that there is paper in Connecticut bold enough to take up the poor mans cause and condemn the rigor with which Connecticut laws are administered against those whose only crime is want of work and want of money. * think you might have even gone farther in your generous advocacy.
 We'll, How shall it be! Our Naugatuck friend thinks we have gone too far-our other friend that we have not gone as far as needed. To the former we say: True, and have not enjoyed the ease of retire ment in suburban retreats; but we can judge, nevertheless, how in sparsely peo- pied localities panics may be created-how timid women of a family may have their fears intensified by the presence or near approach of an ungainly-looking stranger and how the mere appeal of a hungry man for food may be interpreted into threat of theft or bodidy injury. The name of Tramp" has been used as a bugbear to frighten old women from their propriety, just as the ghost stories of the nurseries are resorted to with the eff feet of bringing chilcren to hysterical con- ditions. Try charity in your district of Naugatuck, friend w. D.; instead of set ting the house dog at the travel-wcrn way farer, or summoning the aid of police, try what setting the dairy maid at him with a basin of milk and bread would do: and when you complain that he is lazy and will not work for living, test him with a fair days requital for Q fair days's toll, and do not, as has been done over and over again, exact for crust of bread and barn shelter, an amount of labor at wood cutting, or other hard toll, more than twenty times an equivalent for the relief SC grudgingly accorded. Treat the tramps as human beings. There are drunkards amongst them-thieves perhaps-but there is quota of honest poor. Then, remem- Der that drunkenness is disease and dis honesty an insanity; in polite circles when shopipting is developed, it is called by the euphemistic title of kleptomania; but fol the tramp of low degree it is ''aat bur glary." Treat the Tramp with considera tion and in nineteen cases out of twenty he will be won from the habits that have perhaps imperilled, if not i'm paired useful life. Treat him with ha- tired and hardship, and the natural: results will come in corresponding reprisal. Ii like Ishmael, every hand is against him his hand will be against the society that persecutes him.
 Our other friend, the ''Compositor, is complimentary; and yet, no one needs compliment for doing paramount duty. Our interests, our designs, ou1 resolves-the reason of our being and he object of our labors, are all in the ser vice of the poor man; to protect him from ''the insolence of ofice," and "the proud mans contumely'-to make him feel that he is of the human family with an immor tai soul, and entitled to all the considera tion due to these possessions. We would not have poverty classed and punished as crime; and the tramp until proved guilty of some offense beyond his want of food,